As the Double Ninth Festival approaches, the annual celebration of blessings and longevity returns. According to the Sanya Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone, the 28th Sanya Nanshan Longevity and Blessing Culture Festival will be held on Oct 18, 2026, with the opening ceremony scheduled for 10 am on Oct 18, the festival day.

With the theme “Dwell in Nanshan, blessed with peace”, this year's festival will, for the first time, systematically expound on a “new vision of blessings and longevity”, broadening the meaning of the culture of blessings and longevity from “length of life” to “quality of life” and offering relaxed, soothing cultural experiences for people of all ages.

28 Years of Tradition: From a “Longevity Culture Festival” to a “Longevity and Blessing Culture Festival”

The Sanya Nanshan Longevity and Blessing Culture Festival was established in 1999. Originally known as the China Sanya Nanshan Longevity Culture Festival, it has been held for 28 editions and is one of China's few cultural and tourism festival brands with a history spanning nearly three decades and a longstanding association with the Double Ninth Festival.

In 2021, the festival's theme was upgraded from “longevity culture” to “longevity and blessing culture”. In 2025, it was officially renamed the Sanya Nanshan Longevity and Blessing Culture Festival.

Over the past 28 years, signature activities such as free admission to Nanshan for visitors aged 60 and above on the Double Ninth Festival, gatherings of centenarians at Nanshan, banquets for 100 elderly people, and performances of longevity songs have become shared memories for generations of visitors.

A New Vision of Blessings and Longevity: “Blessings” Mean Inner Ease, While “Longevity” Means Living Life to the Full

“Blessings and longevity are not exclusive to older people, but a way of life that everyone can pursue,” the organizers of this year's festival said.

The core of the new vision of blessings and longevity is a shift away from the traditional, narrow focus on birthday celebrations, prayers for blessings and longevity, and ritualized folk customs centered on older people, toward an inclusive approach for all ages that uses quality of life as its benchmark:

— “Blessings”: Inner ease, emotional balance and spiritual fulfillment.

— “Longevity”: A life lived to the full, abundant vitality and the freedom to grow.

Building on this philosophy, the festival proposes an all-ages approach across all content, audiences and settings. Drawing on Nanshan's natural landscape, with mountains behind it and the sea in front, often enveloped in mist and clouds, it will create a “tranquil retreat amid mountains and sea” for urban residents. Its landscape, evoking the artistic conception of traditional Chinese ink-wash paintings, will cater to the public's appreciation of traditional Chinese aesthetics.

From a One-Day Celebration to Practical Ways of Living

According to the organizers, the festival will feature two main components: the opening ceremony and the Nanshan Forum on Blessings and Longevity: Cultural Dialogue.

The opening ceremony will take place at 10 am on Oct 18 at the Dome Theater of the Sanya Nanshan International Intangible Cultural Heritage Center. It will consist of three chapters: “Blessings Begin Amid Mountains and Rivers,” “A New Interpretation of Blessings and Longevity,” and “Embarking on a New Journey Together”. The program will include the opening dance Mountains and Rivers in Poetry and Painting, the classical dances Spring Outing and Prayer, a performance of the theme song, and the launch ceremony.

National first-class actors Wang Fuli and Xu Wenguang will attend this year's festival and give special performances. The opening ceremony will be co-hosted by Pan Yilin, a presenter from the Movie Channel, and Zhao Yuting, a presenter from the China Agricultural Film and Television Center.

The Nanshan Forum on Blessings and Longevity: Cultural Dialogue will be held from 3 pm to 6 pm on Oct 18 in the Ruyi VIP Hall at the Seaview Hotel of Nanshan Leisure Club. Discussions will focus on three topics: the contemporary significance and meaning of the new vision of blessings and longevity; pathways for developing Nanshan into a cultural and tourism destination that promotes physical and mental relaxation; and the cultivation of the cultural and artistic intellectual property (IP) associated with Nanshan's Guanyin of the South Sea, along with ways to further enhance its cultural and tourism value.

Two promotional videos will also be released at the same time. Rhythm of Mountains and Sea explores the contrast between the accelerated pace of city life and the natural rhythm of Nanshan, addressing the question of how the culture of blessings and longevity relates to young people today. A Little Hot follows the everyday life of a “stubborn grandmother” at her birthday banquet, weaving the brand message “Hold Your Birthday Banquet at Nanshan” into the details of the character's story.

Continuing the Tradition of Respecting Older People on the Double Ninth Festival, With Multiple Public-benefit Initiatives

According to the organizers, this year's festival will carry forward the Double Ninth Festival tradition of respecting older people. On Oct 18, 2026, the Double Ninth Festival itself, a series of public-benefit initiatives, including free admission to Nanshan Scenic Area, will be offered to visitors aged 60 and above from across China. Elderly visitors nationwide are invited to visit Nanshan, experience its rich cultural heritage of blessings and longevity, and enjoy the care and consideration the scenic area extends to older people.

Meanwhile, the organizers plan to arrange visits ahead of the Double Ninth Festival, with Party members, members of the Communist Youth League and employee representatives visiting nearby villages and nursing homes to offer care and support to centenarians, other elderly people of advanced age, and older people living alone without family support. These efforts aim to turn the festive spirit into tangible, heartwarming services for the community.

“Blessings and longevity have nothing to do with the age on your ID card. A strong heartbeat, a light in your eyes, and living in a way you love in the present moment — that is what blessings and longevity mean.”

See you at Nanshan on Oct 18.